Regional Roundup: April 17 to April 23, 2014

In Regional Roundup, we've gathered the top stories from each of our eight weekly newspapers every Thursday. Here are the regional stories you don't want to miss from April 17 to April 23, 2014.

Aurora Barner, Wolf adjusting to roles on Aurora Council

Reva Barner and Scott Wolf, the city's newest City Council members, credit their peers with making their transitions easier.

"The transition for me has been a smooth process for the most part," Barner said. "The mayor [Ann Womer Benjamin] and Council staff have been extremely helpful and knowledgeable."

Cuyahoga Falls Former Cuyahoga Falls mayor takes unpaid leave from job with Ohio Secretary of State

Former Mayor Don Robart was placed on an indefinite unpaid leave of absence from the Ohio Secretary of State’s office three days after current Mayor Don Walters announced there is an investigation into pornography and campaign data found on the computer Robart used while in office.

Robart, who has been employed as a regional liaison by Secretary of State Jon Husted since Jan. 27, sent a letter to Husted dated April 18 requesting permission to take a temporary leave of absence.

Hudson Hudson High School ranks sixth in Ohio, per US News and World Report

According to a newly released ranking from US News and World Report, Hudson High School is the sixth best high school in Ohio and 179th best in the nation.

The ranking, released April 22, is based on college readiness, math and reading proficiency and student teacher ratio, according to the report. Students have the opportunity to take Advanced Placement course work and exams, according to the report. The AP participation rate at Hudson High School is 73 percent.

Stow Munroe Falls drilling case brings international interest

The city's oil and natural gas drilling case that has gone before the Ohio Supreme Court has garnered some international attention.

Mayor Frank Larson, City Council President Jim Iona and Community and Economic Development Coordinator Anne DiCola met for nearly two hours at Lehner Community Center April 14 with Simon Babre, a French Republic sub-prefect from Istres, a city in southern France, about the issue.

David Cooper, the manager of the city’s Parks and Recreation Department, remains on paid leave pending the result of a criminal investigation.

Cooper is out of jail and awaiting a jury trial in front of Judge Kim Hoover in Stow Municipal Court June 3 on seven, fourth-degree misdemeanor counts of trespassing. He has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

The Nordonia Hills Board of Education last night agreed to sell 93 acres it owns off Dunham Road to the developer of the Canyon Woods and Lake Forest Estates subdivisions in Macedonia. The $1.6 million in proceeds will be used to complete renovation of athletic facilities at Nordonia High School, school officials said.

The sale is expected to close July 1, according to Superintendent Joe Clark, who said the agreement with Sagamore Land Properties LLC is contingent upon further legal review.

Streetsboro Route 43 between Kent, Streetsboro under construction

Work started April 16 on a project between Kent and Streetsboro that's resulting in various lane restrictions for road resurfacing.

Crews from the Ohio Department of Transportation restricted lanes on Route 43 between the northern Kent corporation limit and the southern Streetsboro corporation limit. All traffic will be maintained by flaggers.

Twinsburg Twinsburg High School ranks 49th in Ohio in U.S. News and World Report study

Remaining within the top 5 percent of schools in Ohio and climbing the ranks nationally, Twinsburg High School was ranked 49th in Ohio and 1,069th in the country by the U.S. News & World Report's Best High Schools of 2014, released April 22.

About 832 public and charter schools in the state and more than 19,400 schools nationwide were considered by U.S. News, with placement in the ranking determined by state assessment performance, college readiness and other factors.